Last month everyone was asking, “Do you remember where you were 50 years ago when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon?” Rocket scientist Rod Van Wyk of the American Contract Bridge League’s local Unit 143 was working. He and his team at Rocketdyne were monitoring Apollo 11’s progress. They had developed the engines for the Saturn rocket! I, however, was playing bridge with my mother. It shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to master this month’s hand.
vul: All
dealer: West
the bidding
W: 4 ♠
N: Pass
E: Pass
S: 5 ♦
W: Pass
N: Pass
E: Pass
opening lead: ♠ K
North
♠ A 7 6 2
♥ K 4 3
♦ 10 6 5
♣ 9 8 7
East
♠ Void
♥ Q J 9 7
♦ 4 3 2
♣ Q J 10 5 4 3
South
♠ 3
♥ A 6 5
♦ A K Q J 9 8 7
♣ A 2
West
♠ K Q J 10 9 8 5 4
♥ 10 8 2
♦ Void
♣ K 6
the play
1. West led the ♠ King, North the Ace, East ruffing with the ♦ 2 and Declarer the ♠ 3
2. A dismayed Declarer now counted his tricks; two ♥s, seven ♦s and one ♣ equal only 10 tricks.
3. Declarer should have paused and assessed the opening lead.
4. Declarer knew that West could not have a strong hand; therefore, he should have had eight ♠s.
5. Declarer should duck the opening ♠ lead, East showing out.
6. West now would lead the ♠ Queen, Declarer ducking in Dummy again and overruffing East’s ♦ 4.
7. Declarer draws trumps.
8. Declarer enters the Dummy with the ♥ King and discards his losing ♣ on the preserved ♠ Ace.
9. One ♠, two ♥s, seven ♦s and one ♣—11 tricks and game.
tip of the day
How many cards are required to open four of a major?
The usual treatment to open four of a major is eight cards in a suit, seven for a weak three, and six for a weak two.
big games & scores
June 21
Jonathan Goldberg/Rod Beery
70.11%
St. Louis Bridge Center
July 1
Judy Larson/Steve Roberge
70.83%
St. Louis Bridge Center
July 3
Lisa Lampen/ David Dierkes
70.50%
St. Louis Bridge Center
July 13
Debbie Romero/En Xie
70.50%
St. Louis Bridge Center
July 16
Anne Benson/Steve Rosen
72.08%
St. Louis Bridge Center